How it All Began
by HavocRoyale
Summary: How'd the three Shepard brothers become who they are? How'd they all grow up under different circumstances? How'd they become some much alike yet so different? How did it begin?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Guess who's Paragon and who's Renegade, btw Sammy will be a Commander Shepard just not that rank**

* * *

"Adam, you'll get caught!", Durant followed his brother through the alleys. They didn't live in the best city on Earth, and it wasn't the nicest either, As far as Adam and Durant knew, it was the worst. Three days of the week the sky was filled with smoke, trash drifted in the wind daily, and all the people they knew looked out for themselves. They didn't care if they broke the law or hurt an innocent to get what they wanted, but that was probaly because all the people they knew were in a gang. Adam stopped at a tall condemened building, and turned to his brother, they were only eleven but they knew this city better than some of the cops.

"I'm not giving you the gun, Durant. You'll just run off to the cops or home!", home, was that what it was.? They lived in a building full of other children without their parents, overcrowded, and every kid hoped that every adult to walk into the building would take them with them, away from this place. He had remembered his mother taking him, Adam, and their younger brother there. Adam and Durant had been five and Sammy three, Adam hated it, he thought that she had abandonded them. "Durant! Are you even listening!", Adam shook his head and brushed the dirt out of his blonde hair, he pulled his hand down to his face and traced the scar on it.

He had been so proud of himself for getting it, he had gotten into a fight with an older kid the year before and won. The guy had pulled out a small knife in their fight and left the scar, but Adam had scar started from under his left eye and went straight down across his lips. "Look, Durant I'm not giving you the gun, okay. Deal with it" Durant wasn't going to take it to the cops he was just going to return it to its owner, he knew Adam had stolen it and he knew why. Adam entered into the building and walked up the stairs to a large room, several guys sat in the room, most were in their teens, Durant stayed behind Adam.

Hayden, the groups leader set down, his cigarette, stood up, and raised his arms, he had short brown hair and wore a simple red, unzipped jacket and torn jeans. His feet were bare as was his scarred chest, "Look at this guys! Junior's back, now for the real question, does he have the carnifex?" Adam handed the gun to the guy, Durant hated the guy but knew nothing would change Adam's mind. He was set on becoming a Red. "Well done, Junior. Now do you really want to become a real red and come to our main base?" Adam looked behind him, Durant had scrambled away and left him, he smiled, "More than anything, Hayden"

Hayden walked out the buliding with Adam and the rest of the Reds.


	2. Chapter 2

Nearly a week pasted before Adam returned, he had a red bandana tied to his right wrist, "Hey Durant, where's lil' Sammy?" Durant looked down at his brother, and jumped off the top bunk, "He was adopted" "By who?!", Adam took of his grey sweatshirt and set it on the bottom bunk of his and Durant's bunkbeds. Durant looked at his brother, "Hannah and Richard Shepard" "Wait, they have the same last name as us!? How's that even possible!", Adam's shouts earned him a couple of looks from the other kids. "What're you looking at!?", he sat on the bottom bunk and layed back.

"Look yo-", Durant stopped talking when he heard the door to the room opened. He turned around and Adam sat up, a tall man walked in, he wore a grey shirt, black pants, and brown work boots. His boots were covered in mud, just like the bottoms of his pants. He had black hair and a slight beard. He had fare skin which was scarred in a few places along his arms. He reminded Durant of Richard Shepard, the man who was now Sammy's father. The man walked over to a couple of kids and said hi, the youngest kid in the group screamed and ran away. He looked over at Durant and Adam and smiled, he walked over to them, he held his hand out. Durant shook it then Adam sighed, got up and did the same.

"I'm Michael Shepard. My brother and his wife adopted a little boy here about a week ago", Durant smiled, "Your brother adopted our little brother Sampson" Adam huffed and sat back down, the action bounced the bed and his carnifex fell out from under his jacket. Michael looked at the gun then to Adam, "Now why do you have gun?" "It's not your concern, old man", Adam picked up his gun and jacket and left, most likely going back to the Reds. "Um, Adam's not happy about Sammy leaving while he was...er...gone" "Gone?", The man looked at Durant, "Um, well, he joined the Tenth Street Reds"

"Hmph, well I hope his future's better than now. Nothing we can really do, now. But I came here for a reason and that was to adopt a little boy, so, you want to get off of Earth", Durant's face light up, "Yeeeeessss" "Come on, I still have to fill out some stuff but get your bags ready"


	3. Chapter 3

Durant walked into the two-story house, followed by Michael. When he had come up to the house he had seen fields full of cattle.

"Jane! I'm back", Michael shut the door with his free hand.

A women came down the stairs across from the door, her brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, "Michael, I-", she looked at Durant, he smiled, "Well, who's this little guy?"

"This is Durant, you remember Richard's boy, the one from earth? Well, Durant here, is one of his older brothers, Adam he was... not interested"

"Well, he's adorable", she pushed his dirty, scruffy, brown hair out of his face

Durant shook his head and let his hair fall back in place, Michael laughed. Durant heard a baby crying upstairs, Jane went back up the stairs and came down with a small baby, wrapped in a pink blanket, cradled in her arms.

"That's April your little sister, now come on. We should get you settled in, we'll have to go buy you some new, clean clothes later", Michael walked up the stairs, Durant followed with his one bag in hand, they stopped at a door at the end of the hall. Durant walked in; it was mostly empty aside from a mattress in one corner of the room and a small dresser with a lamp on it.

"This was the guest room but now it's your room. Come on, we should get some blankets and a pillow or two", Durant put his bag against the wall next to the door and followed Michael to a door in the hall; he pulled out a pillow, and two blankets.

Durant carried the blankets and pillow to his room and started putting his things away. It was the start of a new life, no gangs manipulating him and Adam, and no being avoided by the others his age.

* * *

"Thanks again, Kelly. I promise I'll make it up to you", Durant rushed to the door, he grabbed his jacket and bag, he threw the bag over his shoulder and carried the jacket in his left hand.

"It's okay Durant. You need the money and April will be just fine", Kelly assured him.

He turned around, "It's not April I'm worried about. Taking care of an ADD four-year old, alone, with no one to help is not easy", Durant handed Kelly some keys.

"I know how to hack a lock and that fitness training I have to do is about to pay off. I'm gonna try and run my way there and back"

Durant ran out the door and down the road. He nearly ran into a man, "Hey!" Durant turned to face him, "Sorry, sir!"

He heard the man mumble under his breath, "Damn Shepard" He turned around in time to see a girl walking towards him; she was looking down at a datapad. He didn't have enough time to stop and ran into her, "Oof!"

He quickly backed up, "I'm so sorry! I-I-", he looked up at her face, she was obviously annoyed.

Her long black hair, blue eyes, and slender figure made her ridiculously beautiful. She was new and his age, otherwise she'd have said something to him, he always ran into people on his way to training, school, or his job, everyone knew everyone, too. Mindoir, being such a small colony, most people knew everyone.

"You're new. I'm Durant", he said, _Great job Durant, why don't you go eat some dextro food while you're at it_.

She looked at his face, "What's your rush?", she looked at the man cursing under his breath behind Durant.

"Oh, I'm on my way to William's restaurant, Imma cook there and I'm late. You're from Earth, aren't you?", she cocked her head, he was smiling, "Yes, how'd you know?"

"Your accent is Australian", she looked surprised, "That is amazingly observant. Most people don't even notice my accent let alone where it's from"

"I don't think I got your name", he looked at her, "My-Of course, I'm Miri"

She was obviously not telling him something but he decided it best not to push her, "Nice to meet you, Miri. Uh, I better get to work, I figure I'll see you around" He past her and started running again, she watched for a while before facing the man in front of her.

"Excuse me sir, but who was he?", the man looked up at her, he looked pissed, "Durant Shepard, Michael and Jane down the road adopted him from Earth a few years back. Been nothing but trouble since he got here, biotically breaking things, saw him uproot an old modified oak once, that tree was planted here when we first colonized here and he just lifted it up with biotics, the entire family's got something wrong, military, farming, biotics, it's plain out ridiculous if ya' ask me"

"When did he uproot the tree?", the man grunted, "Two years back, he was thirteen, just got his fancy new implants, so excited he lifted the tree"

Miranda was impressed few biotics could have done that at such a young age, or even have implants yet, "How'd he have implants already?"

"Michael's brother is an Alliance military man, pulled a few strings to get Durant his implant since he couldn't control his biotics and was tearing everything up on "accident", the man grumbled some more, "I hear he's got some brothers, one back on Earth and one with Richard I believe. They're no different, some gang scum and a techy, like I said, the whole family's a bit odd. They live in the farm down the road, don' think no one's home though"

"Sorry, Kelly. I got a double shift so I won't be back for another hour or so. I got caught up trying to get to work and was late enough to get double shift", Kelly set April down, "It's that Earth girl, isn't it? Miri, I believe"

"What, no, uh, well, how do you know her name?", Kelly laughed, "She stopped by, she asked about your biotics, she seemed impressed"

"Look, just. Wait, she was impressed? She didn't seem to even care when I completely ran into her, literally, or how'd she know I'm a biotic?", Kelly raised her eyebrow, "Why so worried, Durant? I think she asked Mr. Riley, something about you running into him and uprooting a tree biotically"

"Mr. Riley's just mad at me, nothing new", Kelly shrugged, "Whatever"

She looked up, "April! No, you can't-", there was a loud crash, "I'll see you later, Durant"

* * *

Durant carried April on his shoulders as they walked home from school. It wasn't a long walk but April was five and he was sixteen, he had also walked everywhere for the years he was on Earth. His omni-tool went off; he raised his hand up to answer the call.

Adam's face came up on the holo-screen, "Hey Durant"

"Hey Adam", April looked at the screen, "That's my brother, April"

The little girl ignored him and went back to looking around, "Anyways, so Adam I hear you're leaving Earth to train for the Alliance"

Adam chuckled, "Well Casey, Kate, and Damian have all been talking about joining the Alliance. I might join to, ya' know, cause of Kate" Durant laughed, "Yeah, I'd join if I had nothing to do here, but I have people to keep safe here, I'm thinking about becoming a cop here, but I don't know"

"Have you heard from Sammy, he didn't answer me when I tried to contact him", Durant nodded, "He's been training to join the Alliance, I think he's at Arcturus. Can't contact him there", some guy shouted from behind Adam, "Yeah, I know, Finch! Goddam moron, later Durant"

The holo-screen dispersed. Durant looked up at the sky, he saw a ship coming down to land, but not at the docking bay, he turned around and saw two more landing, they weren't Alliance either. The people coming off of them had four eyes, "Batarians!"

Durant grabbed April and carried her in his arms, he ran back to the school. He saw some of his friends, Harvey, Kelly, and David; he ran up to them, "We gotta go! It's a slaver raid!"

Harvey and David pulled out their heavy pistols, "Durant, Kelly, you guys go, we're staying to fight"

The two guys ran towards a group of batarians, Durant grabbed Kelly's hand and the lead the little kids away. Everywhere they looked, people being put in cages, having mind-controlling chips put into their skulls, being branded, killed, it was horrible.

They ran onto a road, a large group of batarians were at the other end, Durant pulled out his tech armor and his heavy pistol. He took his left hand and formed a biotic barrier around April and Kelly. The group of aliens advanced, he shot some down, he looked up and saw a ship landing, it was Alliance. He looked at the batarians, he shot some more down, one batarian shot him, piercing his tech armor. He grabbed the wound, and nearly fell to the ground. He looked up to see a batarians shoot, it missed him and hit Kelly, she fell to the ground, April screamed in horror.

He tried to get up but couldn't get up off his knee; he focused his energy on the barrier around April and kept batarians from getting too close.

Batarians started dropping dead, Alliance soldiers were advancing, a soldier came up to him and started helping others escape. Another soldier came and helped him to the ship. People were all around the docking bay, being bandaged or eating, he scanned the area, he didn't see his parents anywhere. He sat on a crate, April came up to him and climbed into his lap, crying, "It's all right, April. We're safe now"

"Not Mommy and Daddy", he looked at the marines, they weren't advancing anymore, the batarian defenses had them pinned.

He held pulled her against him, he tears stained his shirt. He saw David advancing towards the Alliance, he watched as another familiar face just dropped; a batarian stood behind him with a stick, Harvey wasn't dead but paralyzed, he was going to be a slave. He looked around, not many more than a dozen of the colonists made it. Durant would never admit it but there was no way his parents were alive.

* * *

**AN: I have the feeling someone's gonna say something about "Miri" and YES it is Miranda, she's on Mindior running from her father and rescuing Oriana, and thats it she leaves before the slaver raid and she tells Durant her name is Miri because Im too lazy to think of a alias for her, I wanted her to have some more parts here but I cut them out because it was taking too long**


	4. Chapter 4

"Adam, why are we in here, Hayden will have our heads if he found out", Adam turned and faced his friend, "Casey, I'm his best member, aside from Matthews, if he tries to kill me what's gonna happen when Matthews is too stupid for his own good"

The other guy followed close behind as they continued into the room, "I hope you're right"

"Look, I'm just leaving a note. No name, no evidence", Adam pulled out a datapad, he started typing on it.

He set it down next to the door, he grabbed Casey's arm and took off. They stopped in an alleyway a block away from the Reds HQ, Adam held his arm out and a faint orange glow came up along his arm, "What're you doing, Adam"

"That datapad I put the note on'll give me a live video feed as long as she's holding it, I wanna see her reaction", Casey shook his head and sat next to Adam. "You wanna see her reaction? Why do I get the feeling you're lying and it'll give ou video feeds as long as you're connected and as soon as I'm gone, you'll watch her strip later tonight"

"Oh shut up, you'd do the same thing, Case"

"Wait, you- I was right!", Adam looked at the guy, "Took you longer than I had thought but yes, it will give me video feeds if I connect"

Adam smirked, the loading screen dispersed and a holo-screen of the room popped up, Casey sat with his mouth open staring at Adam, "You pervert! Why am I even friends with you!"

"You're not, I'm friends with you and please, you're the one that is constantly on the extranet watching vids and I'm smart enough to know what kind"

"You're as bad as Hayden sometimes, I swear,", Casey looked at Adam who was now staring at the holo-screen, Kate was looking at the datapad, "And I've lost ya"

Adam smiled when Kate laughed, "Matthews, why doesn't he ever talk to me. He gives me all these notes and gifts but he's never come up and talked to me"

Adam's smile faded at the mention of Matthews, 'Damn, Matthews. Four years in the Reds with her and she doesn't notice me because of you and no matter what I do she thinks I'm you'

Adam's thoughts were interruppted when a shadow hovered over him and Casey, he looked up to see Matthews, "So Kate thinks all those love notes and gifts are from me, eh? Well I could use this to my advantage, thank you Junior"

"My name is Adam, not Junior, asshole!", Adam stood up, Matthews was only a year older but he was built like a tank and much taller than Adam. Matthews smirked, "But Junior fits you well, smaller, weaker, stupider, and not good enough for Kate to notice you"

Adam punched Matthews in the gut, the taller guy hunched over, "I'm smarter than you, I just hurt you, and now I'm taller", Adam punched him in the face.

Matthews stood straight up and threw Adam into the street, Adam stood back up and shook his head, he pulled out his pistol and shot Matthews in the arm, he was about to shoot again when Hayden and Kate appeared from around the corner.

Adam looked at Matthews then at Kate, he threw his gun down and walked to the two followed by Matthews and Casey. "He was spying on Kate when I came around, he must've seen me because he attacked"

"Learn to tell the truth, I had the right because I left the note and I wanted to see her reaction, the vid feeds would only activate when she touched it then it'd turn off permanately! Besides you were planning on using her crush on for your own selfish wants!"

"Adam?", Kate looked at Adam, his face was red, clenched fists at his sides, his muscles were stiffened. "I know it was wrong to spy but God do you think I'd just come up and say it, I'm amazed you even know my name, Kate, Gorrilla man over here doesn't even bother knowing"

"Shut up, Junior! I heard you talking about the live vid feed!" Adam punched Matthews in the gut again, "Try it! You'll regret it, because you're afraid of looking bad in front of Hayden and Kate, you don't want to face your loss like a man! You're a coward!"

"Say that ag-", Hayden stepped in, "Matthews step down, I need to have a talk with Adam" Matthews walked away and Casey and Kate left in the other direction, "I don't get why you keep that meatbrick around"

"Meatbricks are good to have around,it's like having krogan bodyguards. Tough, nearly impossible to fight, stupid, but weak to insults and being threatened. But I wanted to say something, I'd like to know what cameras you used"

"I don't know, Casey rigged 'em for me, then I connected it to the datapad and my omni-tool. But if you're gonna say something about me threatning and fighting Matthews, I could've easily gotten away and shot his head off with a sniper rifle, don't think I wouldn't have", Adam crossed his arms in front of Hayden.

"I don't doubt that, but if you can get rid of him, do it. Fight your fight the way you see fit, and tell Casey to rig some more cameras. We'll need them" Hayden walked away and left Adam with nothing but his thoughts.

* * *

Adam led the two into the room, it wasn't very large but the Admiral was only here for a short time. The two guys dug and looked around as he kept watch, they started messing on a lock to a cabinet. Adam sighed and walked over. He pulled his pistol out and started hitting the lock with the butt of his pistol.

"What're you doing! We'll get caught!", the taller guy screeched, "I'm opening the goddamn lock, Damian!"

"Wha- No, Finch said this was a quick and quiet job, get in, get the files, and get out; without pulling attention!", Casey looked at Damian, "Just shut up, Adam, can do this quiet enough"

Adam stepped back and shot the lock with his sidearm, the flaming round struck the lock busting it, the cabinet flew open and an alarm went off.

"Get the datapads and lock pass and get out through the windows!" The other guy stopped at the window, "This is an eight-story building! Are you crazy!"

"Grow a quad and start climbin', Damian!", Adam pushed Damian nearly out the window, Damian was far enough down that Adam pushed Casey out too.

The Admiral and two armed guards came through the door, "Get out there, you ass!" Casey almost fell through the window when Adam shoved him out, he slammed the window shut and felt the guards' hand on his shoulders.

"Struggle against us and lose your head", Adam laughed, "So I shouldn't beat your asses and leave yelling insults"

The guard pushed him down, "Keep it up funny boy, you wouldn't be able to if I had my way"

The Admiral walked up to them, "You're Adam Shepard, aren't you? Did you know next to Hayden who is captured, you have the highest bounty on your head here?"

"You think I'm stupid, Admiral. Lemme tell you a couple of things about my brothers, Samson and Durant, Alliance is on Mindior I know it and there's no way Durant would let him or April die. Sammy's "mom" is Hannah Shepard, well known in the Alliance, his "dad" is Richard Shepard, listed as MIA three years ago and Samm is currently in training at Arcturus"

"You're well-informed for a gang member", Adam smiled, "I'm a Shepard, I'm in a gang because I need to move and I need to fight, and if you need soldiers, I equal three soldiers and if you need proof ask any cop from here, I'm imossible to be caught when I don't want to"

"And you're full of yourself", Hackett lifted him up. "Another Shepard trait, we happen to state the facts about us and what we're good at"

"Take him with us but don't remove the cuffs or remove any guards from watching him"

* * *

"Look I know he's gang scum but he has potential to be a soldier and if we can some how get him to talk the Tenth Street Reds can be shut down and you'll have an inside source", Hackett argued with the Sheriff.

"He ain't gonna talk we've tried everything, Steven", Hackett looked into the room, it was empty aside from the young male, a table, and the guards, "Let me talk to him"

Hackett entered the room, Adam sat down and played with the handcuffs holding him to the table, "You know if I really wanted to leave, I could. This table is nothing compared to what I carried around with the Reds and I've done killed plenty of guards before to be able to get away"

One guard looked down at him and prepared to pull out his sidearm, Hackett raised his hand, "Adam, we need to know where the Tenth Street Reds are and why they wanted those datafiles on prisoners"

"I ain't telling you shit, old man", Adam grunted.

"What if we offer to get you off of Earth and in the Alliance, from what I hear you've been asking about the Alliance", Adam looked up at the Admiral, "You've got our leader imprisoned, I was in charge of getting him out, me Casey, Damian, Kate, and Finch were working on breaking him out. If you want to slow 'em down and lower their threat, you'll need me and you'll need to know where to be. But I have requirements"

Admiral Hackett nodded, "And what is it you require?" "Don't arrest Kate Schaffer, Damian Crosworth, or Casey White, you'll want them in the Alliance or as inside sources. Imma need an omni-tool and some new guns"

"And why", Hackett looked at Adam with a interested look. "Kate's always kept civilians out of the way, Damian's kinda like our weapons man, he can build and sabatoge any gun in a matter of minutes, and Casey's what we call a police dog, loyal to supeiors, does well under pressure, and NEVER denies orders. And the Reds will be suspiscious if I don't go back with no loot"

A while later Hackett came back in with an advanced sniper rifle, several other guns, and an omni-tool, Adam scanned the materials, he recognized all guns expect the sniper rifle. He reached over the table and grabbed the omni-tool, he put it on his right wrist, it felt weird, an omni-tool on his right arm but he shrugged it off. He grabbed the assault rifle and heavy pistol, he attatched the pistol to his belt and held the assault rifle in his left hand as he looked at the sniper rifle.

"That's a prototype sniper rifle, the Alliance wanted to have the light-weightedness and damage of the M-29 Incisor but the simple design and accuracy of the X-97d Viper", Adam picked it up and inspected it. He grinned and looked at Hackett, "Snakefang is a good name for it, I think. If this works, can I keep it?"

"Like I said, it is only a prototype, it hasn't even seen the field yet, just the shooting range and labs. And we're trusting you to help us in return"

"Alright but I'm keeping the omni-tool though the Nexus series is a damn good line of omni-tools", Hackett ordered the guards to let Adam go, "Alright, so what do you have in mind to get at the Reds"


End file.
